


The Grand Tour

by CharlotteP_03 (Li_10)



Category: The Grand Tour (TV) RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-04-19 20:31:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14245173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Li_10/pseuds/CharlotteP_03
Summary: Emma Perringham was known as the only female presenter on Top Gear for several years, but then 2015 comes along and so does the well publicised challenges with it. When Emma finds her career taking off in a new (sort of) direction, will she find her personal life is as well?





	1. One: Endings and Beginnings

 

1.

MARCH 2015.

"Well fuck," I answered in reply to Andy Wilman who was on the other end of the phone. My heart had begun to pound at the news. "Do......do the guys know?" I asked hesitantly, not sure if I wanted them to or not.  
"I haven't told them yet. Understandably, I wanted you to know first." I sighed. "Ems, this is big. For us all, but for you especially. They want you to stay. To carry on presenting Top Gear." Andy paused. ".....and no one, not even I would blame you or be angry with you if you did choose to stay with the BBC," He added.  
"No!" I exclaimed, immediately, almost shouting it out loud. "No, Andy. They don't want you four, I'm going too,"  
"You sure about this?" He asked, his time hesitant.  
"Absolutely. I'll call Martha and get her arrange a meeting tomorrow with the BBC. Don't tell the guys where I am until I come to meet you all, will you?" I asked, knowing that if they did find out prematurely, they'd only go to certain lengths to try to make me rethink a hasty decision of leaving the BBC. He chuckled.  
"Of course not," He agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow," He added.  
"Yeah.....Andy?" I asked.  
"Yeah?"  
"Thanks for calling me first....and for whatever happens next with everything, thank you for giving me the chance on Top Gear," I said quietly.  
"There could have been no one else," He said fondly, before we said our goodbyes and hung up. I sat on my sofa for a few quiet moments, thinking over everything.

 

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING. 

"I don't think you understand, Emma, this is a great chance for you," Amelia, one of the BBC representatives spoke up. I looked at her.  
".....no I don't think _you_ understand. It's insulting to offer me the head part on a 're-vamped Top Gear' the day after you sack four of my best friends." I returned. "So, let me put this very clearly. I have no interest in returning to Top Gear unless they do....and since I think that won't be happening, this meeting is done," I stood up.  
"There's no way to change your mind?" Amelia asked, sounding stressed. I smirked.  
"Absolutely not," I replied, leading the way out of the conference room and down through the building, Martha behind me. As we left the BBC building, photographers were already stood there.  
"Emma!" One of them called. "Can you comment on the news that you're the only presenter still on the list for Top Gear?" I glanced to Martha and she shrugged.  
"The last report was wrong, like James, Richard and Andy, I'm standing with my best friend and I will not be returning to Top Gear," I stated. Immediately reporters began to clamour again for more information, clearly wanting to be the first to bag the scoop of the day.  
Martha and I got into her Porsche Panemera, before she drove away quickly. Neither of us spoke for several moments, only choosing to let out deep breaths.  
"That's it then," Martha stated after a few minutes of driving through Paddington. I nodded. Another pause. "You know, the boys wouldn't have blamed you for staying on," She began.  
"I couldn't......Mar, I couldn't do that to them," I replied, shaking my head.  
"Them? Or one in particular?" Martha guessed. I shot her a look. "I've known you since you were eighteen and I were twenty-two.....I've seen you go through relationships, through all of you and Chris-" She hesitated as my frown deepened. "I've seen you grow and I've seen you with him and I know how good you two are together," Another pause. "So, why are you going there?" She questioned.  
"I can't. He's been divorced, just under a year.....it's too soon," I reasoned.  
"He's been divorced for eight months, as you well know, and separated for a year and a half......come on, Emma, what's holding you back, seriously?" She asked. I shrugged.  
"I don't want to talk about it, honestly, Martha, I don't," I replied, with a firmness to my voice that Martha took on board. As we drew up outside the hotel that I had arranged to meet the guys in, Martha pulled on on her handbrake.  
"We'll talk soon about your next plans...." She began. "If you five haven't already started planning something in the meantime," She nodded to the hotel and I grinned.  
"Well.....you never know....." I teased. "Thanks for the support. Most agents would lose their mind if their client completely blew the most stable job that they had in ten years," I added, more seriously.  
"I did what any good agent would do. I listened to my client's wishes," She returned, equally as serious. "Have a good day," She added.  
"You too with him," I returned, meaning Chris, my ex-fiancé, a follow car journalist, who Martha also managed. Martha grinned and rolled my eyes. I climbed out of the car and headed into the hotel's lobby, after waving to Martha. I headed into one of dining rooms, one that I knew we favoured because of the beaten old sofas and armchairs. I found who I was looking for, two of them standing up first as they noticed my appearance. The other two followed as they turned to see me too.  
"You've been busy," Jeremy murmured to me as he kissed my cheek in hello. I smiled.  
"You saw then?" I asked.  
"Oh it's all over Twitter. Emma Perringham's finally lost it and sacrificed her career for four old men," James added as I moved onto him and Andy next.  
"Don't be stupid," I chided him before turning to Richard. He was frowning faintly. ".......and don't you start," I warned him.  
"It's a stupid risk," He told me honestly, hugging me. Our hug lingered for several seconds.  
"You really think I could present that show without you four?" I asked as I sat down. "You really think that I could pretend I agreed with the BBC's actions and get along with anyone else they threw at me to present that show with?" I added. They shared glances. "There'll be other jobs out there,"  
"We wouldn't have hated you for staying you know," James said as the waitress brought my glass of white wine over for me that one of them had ordered.  
"I'd have hated me though," Was my only response to which no one had anything to argue against.  
As we discussed the logistics of the BBC basically stealing what was Jeremy's and Andy's creation, a thought came to me.  A risky one, but one all the same.   
"What happens now, though?" Richard dared to ask the question.  
"Ground zero," Was my answer.  
"What?" James asked in confusion.  
"Starting over afresh," I continued, taking a sip of my wine. Realisation hit Andy's eyes.  
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" He asked, beginning to smile. I shrugged.  
"Come on. Two thousand and two there were only you and Jeremy, and James...... Now, there's five of us. No instructions for how something has to look. We can create what we want to create," Jeremy laughed.  
"You're fucking crazy, but I like it," He admitted, causing me to grin at him.  
"We create our own show? We rival Top Gear?" Richard asked, raising his eyebrows.  
"Will it really be a rival show when everyone watches us anyway?" I asked with a shrug. All four laughed.  
".....and this is why you were a great addition to the team," Andy said, pulling me into his side, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I leant my head onto his shoulder in response.

 


	2. Chapter 2: Holidays

2.

 

ONE WEEK LATER.

 

"We should go on holiday together," Jeremy said, as we once again had met up, this time at my house in East Hoathly. It had been the house that I had bought with Chris several years previously before our relationship crumbled and it had ended up going straight to me.

"Hang on, seriously?" Richard asked. "You want us all to go on holiday? Together?" He added, his eyes widening at Jeremy's strange suggestion.

"You're making it seem like it's never been done before, Hammond," Jeremy returned, with a roll of his eyes.

"Well it hasn't," James retorted.

"Well it has. We've travelled all over the world together," Jeremy pointed.

"Except we don't _relax_ then.....it's work," I spoke up, taking a sip of my tea that I had chosen over the beer that the other three were drinking. I curled my legs underneath me as I got more comfortable. "......and we're usually half up to our eyes in shit cars and general shit," I added, causing the other three to laugh. "So.....IF we entertain the idea of a holiday together? Where?" I asked next.

"Well, you have the family villa in Tuscany," Jeremy said to me.

"Yes I do. But no I don't. Aunt Louisa's staying over there on an extended holiday- otherwise known as divorce," I replied.

"Ah......" Jeremy said in reply, understanding in his eyes.

"What about Fiji?" I asked after several seconds. Everyone looked to me. "Come on, good food, plenty of beautiful villas to rent.....sun, sea.....beautiful horizons," I listed. "What's not to love?" I asked.

"She has a point," Richard returned. I smiled as he agreed, whilst Jeremy and James sent each other expressions that Richard seemed very intent to ignore and I was intrigued by.

"Fiji it is then," James returned, with an air of finality to it.

"When though?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know about you boys.....but as soon as possible.....plus....." I leaned forward, putting my tea mug down onto the coffee table in front of me. "It is my birthday at the end of the month," I added, looking coy.

"That's true......Fiji for your birthday then," Jeremy decided. "I'll get it sorted and send you all the information tonight then," He added.

"How come you're the organiser suddenly?" Richard asked him.

".....because it's his idea." I answered with a smile.

"He's terrible at making plans," Richard protested.

"He won't be this time," There was a gentle warning in my tone to Jeremy that this time, none of us wanted messing about or drama. We just wanted a holiday and a way to celebrate my birthday. Eventually the topic of conversation changed.

"So......how come you're out here rather than in Chelsea?" James asked me.

"Fancied a week or so in the country," I returned with a shrug. "It's more tempting to work in London," I added.

"Work? What's that?" Jeremy joked and I smiled softly.

"So.....this is your idea of avoiding Martha?" Richard asked. "Why?" He added next when my expression answered his first question. I shrugged again.

"Come on spill," Jeremy said.

"ITV are offering me a presenting slot on a new show of theirs.....it's science show or something....." I explained briefly. ".....and then there's the whole This Morning thing..." I added.

".....and Martha's pushing for you take it up?" James guessed. I nodded.

"Why aren't you taking it up?" Richard asked, looking intrigued.

".....because, even if it's early days, if we do set up this production company and make our own show, I want to be solely focused on that and not twatting about science shows and presenting slots that could put my main passion in jeopardy," I half ranted. All three glanced to each other. "Sorry," I apologised as my tone had been a tad harsh.

"Don't apologise," Richard said immediately. I sent him a grateful look. "It's been a stressful few weeks for us all. Particularly this year," He added.

 

* * *

 

 

TWO WEEKS LATER.

 

**Vomo Island, Fiji**

 

"This is bloody gorgeous!" James exclaimed as he and I stood on the balcony of the villa that Jeremy had rented out for us.

"That it is," I murmured. We were the only two up, the other two still asleep after traveling for over 24 hours.

"Why would you swim in that pool when we have a private beach just there?" James continued. I smiled at him fondly.

"It just feels good to breathe," I commented, leaning my head back, up towards the sun above us. I felt James' gaze on me for a few seconds before I turned my head to him.

"Are you alright?" He asked me gently. I smiled.

"I hate it when you three do this," I commented.

"Do what?" James looked confused.

"Ask _me_ if I'm alright. Also do check ups on me when we're filming the specials....knocking on my hotel room in a foreign country to make sure I'm alright.....but yet you all brush me off if I try to do the same," I explained.

"Well because you're a-"

"If you even finish that sentence with 'woman' I will hit you," I threatened him. He chuckled.

"I was going to finish it with you're a wonderful, kind person," He returned, this time causing me to chuckle.

"Right, I'll let you off," I retorted. We fell into silence once again, as I leant forwards, putting more weight onto the balcony rail.

"So.....are you alright?" He asked once again. I smiled.

"I'm fine." I said to him in response.

".....being in love with Hammond and all?" James finished his question. I stopped, my breath stilling for a few seconds. Way too long for me to casually through James' comment off as anything other than the truth. I tried anyway.

"I'm not in love with Richard, James," I began. James just raised his eyebrow to me in response. "Don't give me that look," I added, sighing.

"It's okay.....he's in love with you too," James returned before a sound behind us made us both turn on our heels quickly.

"What time is it?" Jeremy grumbled, his eyes tightening as the glare from the sun hit him.

"Half one.....ish," I responded, looking at my watch as Jeremy came to join us at the balcony, standing in between James and I.

"Fucking jet lag," He muttered under his breath. I smiled in response. "Hammond's just woke up too," He added conversationally. Neither James or I replied, taking it that Jeremy didn't want a reply as such. "God this place is beautiful," He breathed out as he took in the landscape surrounding our villa properly. As James made to reply to Jeremy's statement, I pushed myself away from the balcony and towards the steps that led us down to the private beach. As my bare feet hit the warm white sand, I barely heard the conversation that was taking place almost directly above my head. I was too focused on the sounds from the ocean spreading out before me. The sounds of the other tourists on the other private beaches that lay alongside ours.

* * *

 

_**James's View**_

 

"Is she okay?" Jeremy asked, almost uncharacteristically gentle for him, but yet he always was when it came to Emma.

"I think so," I answered as honestly as I could. Jeremy's gaze met mine. "I don't think the date is helping her particularly," I added. His brow furrowed until it cleared.

"Oh fuck," He groaned, his head hanging down over the balcony rail for a few seconds. "What is it now?" He asked.

"They would have been married two years now," Richard's voice sounded behind us, suspiciously calm and yet so despondent as well.

"Hammond," I greeted. "I don't think that's what's affecting her so much," I added, cautiously, to protect Emma's privacy and dignity. I watched as she stood, ankles deep in the warm South Pacific Ocean, doing what looked like to be taking photographs of the landscape surrounding her on her iPhone. 

“Then what is it?” Richard asked, looking at me curiously and also there was that expression barely showing on his face, but it was there. It was well too familiar when it came to Emma, especially in recent months. 

“Well, Hammond, let’s put it this way. I got sacked, your contacts all got cancelled and Emma was left to face the prospect that the BBC twats thought she would be gullible to blindly continue to film a television programme without us,” Jeremy said arrogantly, but the expression he sent me over Richard’s head as Richard looked from him in semi annoyance told me everything I needed to know. Jeremy wasn’t being arrogant, he was just brushing off Emma’s real feelings when it came to Hammond. Once more protecting her privacy and dignity. An old silence that was entirely too comfortable settled over the three of us. 

“Mindy told me that I should tell her,” Richard’s voice out a lot quieter than we were used to, making both Jeremy and I to visibly strain to hear what had just been uttered, as Richard’s expression showed it was something we couldn’t miss. 

“....and are you going to? Jeremy asked quickly in return. Richard looked at us aghast. 

“I’m sorry, I tell you that my ex-wife told me to tell my friend that I fancy her like fuck, that I’d love to take things to a whole new level and all either can you say is - ‘am I going to?’,” Richard demanded. 

“Sorry Rich,” I apologised after a few seconds, with a glance to Jeremy. “But…..are you going to? I pressed carefully. Richard shot me another look. “You don’t need to answer that,” I added more quickly. Richard looked away, his eyes on Emma in front of us still, before he moved away from us, heading back into the villa. Jeremy’s long breath out telling me that my sentiments were shared when it came to Richard’s stubbornness. 

 


	3. Three: Interruptions

 

"Excited for your birthday, love?" Jeremy asked as I wandered from inside the villa to the veranda where the three men were sat on the sun loungers on the veranda.   
"Yeah of course," I answered, as I sat down on the edge of Richard's sun lounger.   
"You don't look it," Richard stated, a little bluntly. I looked at him with a neutral expression as James and Jeremy shot him looks of warning, but Richard didn't even spare them a glance in return. "What's the matter?" He added. I looked back at him for several seconds, debating whether I wanted this conversation with him or not.   
"Doesn't matter," I muttered in response, standing up from my seat on the sun lounger. "If we're heading to one of the resort's restaurants, you'd all better bloody start getting ready," I added, over my shoulder, as I headed to the farthest part of the villa, or more specifically, to the other balcony.

**James View**

"You blithering idiot!" Jeremy immediately exclaimed as soon as Emma was out of ear shot. Richard looked away from where Emma had disappeared around the corner of the villa to us, confusion on his expression.   
"What did I do?" He asked.   
"Try having more tact, maybe?" I directed. Richard still looked confused and I shared another exasperated look with Jeremy. "Richard, mate, when a woman looks down about something you usually don't just demand to know what's wrong.....maybe use a friendlier tone?" I suggested, more slowly with a hint of annoyance in my tone.   
"Oh," Richard's face changed into realisation. "Oh....." He looked back to where Emma had disappeared. "Oh shit,"   
"Oh shit indeed," Jeremy agreed, finishing off the beer that he had been drinking.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

**Emma's View**

"I didn't mean to upset you earlier, you know," Richard's voice came to me as I stood against the bar of one of the resort's restaurants. We had had a pleasant, though slightly awkward dinner in which Richard had tried to make it known how guilty he was feeling. I sighed as I ran my finger around the edge of my wine glass.   
"It's okay," I replied finally, before glancing across to him. "I overreacted, is all," I added, with a gentle smile to show him that I felt no ill will between us.   
"You didn't overreact. You were down about something and I was tactless in asking what it was," He retorted more firmly. There was a pregnant pause in the air between us and I knew that Richard still hoped for me to confide in him what was bothering me.   
"When you spoke about my birthday. When everyone on social media and whatnot keeps mentioning it, it just reminds me that it's another year where my life's been wasted," I began.   
"Wasted?" Though he was trying to be empathetic, he still seemed confused.   
"I'm still single, Rich," I clarified. "I always had this picture that by the time I reached thirty two I would have been married, or at least on my way to getting married, maybe even a baby....." I paused. "Instead I have several failed relationships and one especially catastrophic engagement behind me....."   
Richard let out a breath.   
"Yeah well, marriage isn't all it's cracked up to be," He commented. I shot him s look.   
"You and Mindy have had your downs, yes, but you're telling me that you have ever regretted marrying her?" I questioned. Immediately Richard shook his head.  
"No of course not. I'm just saying, that marriage is a journey, not an end," He said. ".....and even when a marriage ends, there's more afterwards," He added, quietly and also gently. I smiled, before taking a sip of my wine. "Do you ever regret you and Chris?" He asked me, the question almost coming out of nowhere but from Richard's tone it sounded as though he was almost desperate for me to answer.   
"When we first separated, in that moment when I chucked the ring back at him, I regretted everything to do with him," I said honestly. "Now-" I looked to Richard, finding his gaze on me almost intense. "Now, I realise that that my experience with him changed me for the better in a whole lot of ways," I finished slowly. Richard seemed to swallow heavily besides me.   
"Do you still love him?" He asked, almost as though he didn't want me to answer the question. I shrugged.   
"A part of me always will, Rich.....but I'm not in love with him," I paused. "It's hard to be in love with someone when you both went through pure hell like that," I added, morosely. I met Richard's gaze and he held it for a few seconds, before glancing over to where Jeremy and James were still sat, talking about something or other.   
"Fancy a walk, love?" He asked me, bringing my attention back to him. I nodded, drinking the rest of my wine in one move and following Richard out onto the veranda of the restaurant and then down a wooden path that led away from the restaurant and towards the beach. Neither of us saw that Jeremy and James had seen us leave the restaurant, shooting each other grins as they watched us go.   
"It's just gorgeous out here," I commented as I looked around us. The forestry, the water catching the reflection of the moon, the white sand of the beach, the warmness that tainted the air of the night, though it was dark now.   
"Yeah," Richard agreed with me quietly. I looked to him and smiled warmly. The holiday idea had been a good one. Even if we had only just set foot in Fiji not even 24 hours ago. Already, we were relaxing, not being hounded by the English media of what would happen to us now that we were all effectively unemployed. "You look beautiful tonight," He complimented me. This has been the second time, as all three of them, upon seeing me dressed for dinner in my black cropped t shirt and white maxi skirt, completed with wedged heels and jewellery, had thrown compliments at me. I fought a blush, even now at my age, I couldn't help but blush.   
"Thanks," I said quietly. I looked back to the water, seeing in the distance, what looked like people from the private villas that edged both of the beach, still swimming. I felt Richard's hand go to take my hand and I let him easily. As our fingers threaded together, Richard stepped closer towards me, so our arms brushed together. We kept quiet as we continued walking, neither of us feeling the need to say anything for the time being.   
"El-" Richard began.   
"Yeah?" I asked, as he stopped us and turned to face me. Even with my wedges on, he was still slightly taller than me by an inch or so. Richard didn't say anything for a few moments, but then his mouth opened, just as squealing and laughing sounded from the down the beach. The swimmers before were now chasing each other and the mood between Richard and I had been ruined completely.   
"Let's get back to those two oafs," Richard muttered, though his hand remained holding mine tightly.   
"Yeah," I agreed, silently cursing the couple further down the beach as we began to walk back to the restaurant together.


	4. Chapter 4: Home

4.

>   
>  **12 DAYS LATER**   
>  **WAKEFIELD, YORKSHIRE**

  
"Hey Di," I said as my older sister walked into the sun room of my parent's house, where my mother and I were sat talking.   
"Hi darling, my, you look tanned," She commented, sitting down besides me on the sofa, whilst Mom was curled up in one of the armchairs.   
"Mmmmm..... that's what ten days in Fiji does for you," I teased in response, sipping the glass of wine that was my mother's and I chosen form of drink for a Sunday afternoon. It went silent for a moment and I caught Mom and Dianne glance between each other.   
"So.....?" Dianne questioned out loud, trailing off.   
"No," Mom replied. "Nothing happened," She added with clarification.   
"For Christ's sake, Emma," Dianne groaned. I looked between them both, half between amused and confused.   
"Sorry, am I meant to know what you're both talking about? .....or am I just meant to magically read your minds now?" I questioned sarcastically.   
"Richard," Dianne explained. "Why the hell didn't you ride Richard senseless in Fiji?" She asked.   
"Dianne!" I exclaimed, looking to Mom and her in shock, as Mom had started to laugh.   
"It's a valid question Ems," Dianne returned defensively. "You're head over heels for him and him for you and you're just in this limbo waiting for the other to give some sign but you're never going to give each other a sign when you're both terrified of rejection," She rambled next, sounding like she was getting more and more angry with the situation.   
"Oh I'm sorry for not wanting to throw myself at one of my best friends and seeming like some desperate idiot," I returned, shooting Dianne a dirty look as I did so.   
"Dianne didn't mean it like that, sweetheart," Mom interjected, before Dianne and I could argue more fully.   
"Oh yes I did," Dianne muttered under her breath, before taking a gulp of her tea. Mom shot her a warning look in response.   
"Well, then, if she didn't mean it like that, then how did she mean it, Mom?" I asked.   
"She means....." Mom hesitated. "We worry about you. Not worry," She paused again, as I raised my eyebrow towards her words. "Emma, you can't hide your feelings anymore,"   
"No, what I mean is that you cannot suppress your own feelings and happiness just for the sake that it might upset someone,"   
"Some people," I grumbled into my half full glass of wine. I looked up to see my sister and mom looking at me with the same expression.   
"Spill," Dianne urged.   
"It isn't just about me. My feelings or even his, Di." I began. "It's about hers and theirs....." I added.   
"Mindy filed for divorce." Mom pointed out. I sighed.   
"Lets just leave it be. I'm only here for tonight, I don't want us to just debate or argue....." I trailed off. "Let's just leave it," I repeated firmly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*   
_5_   _DAYS PREVIOUSLY_

_ FIJI _

_"You've been spoilt, girl," Richard joked, as I stood on the balcony of our villa, the ocean view spreading out before me calming me down, as the celebrations of my birthday evening were slowing down, mainly to the level of Jeremy's and James' intoxicated selves. Richard and I had remained fairly sober, thank god. I smiled._  
"That I have. Thank you for a lovely day," I replied, clinking my glass of champagne against his beer bottle. I looked back to the view, whilst taking a sip of my champagne.   
"You look.....beautiful, tonight," Richard murmured, as I felt him move, finding his free arm move around my back, resting on the balcony, bringing our bodies closer together. I angled my body to his. "Rich...." I murmured, my gaze fully on him now.   
"Shhh," Richard replied, before putting his beer down onto the top of the balcony, cupping my jaw and leaning in to kiss me. As I returned the kiss, my glass also went to balance precariously on top of the balcony, my hands going to cup Richard's neck and jaw, as he pulled me even closer to him. We pulled away from each other after several moments, our breathing heavy.

_*_

I looked down to my mobile phone at the message that had been sent from Richard.   
\- We need to talk after the meeting tomorrow. Will you come for a coffee at mine? x -   
I looked up, looking out of the window of the spare bedroom at my parent's home. The room used to be mine when I was a teenager, when we had first moved to Wakefield, but I had moved out not even a year later to go to Oxford for university.   
\- Coffee would be lovely x -   
I sent the reply and then stood up from the window seat, throwing my phone down on it behind me as I went to get ready for bed, my mind full of the kiss that Richard and I had shared. Of what the future could hold for us after we had talked tomorrow. I breathed in deeply.   
"Of all the people in the world, Emma Perringham.....Richard bloody Hammond," I muttered to myself as I turned the shower on in my ensuite bathroom, stripping my casual clothes of jeans and a blouse off.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

** LONDON. **

"How's the folks?" Andy asked me, as he greeted me in hello at our chosen venue of a hotel conference room where we could brainstorm ideas and finally put in motion an idea of starting again.   
"Ah, they're okay. Enjoying the quiet life," I replied with a chuckle.   
"Your Dad? Never!" Jeremy commented, causing me to grin and laugh at his comment. My father could be the fifth presenter of Top Gear, with his passion for cars. A passion that I had clearly caught from him. My gaze caught Richard's as I sat down besides him, however I angled my chair towards Andy who was at the head of the table, so Richard was more behind me. However I felt his chair move closer towards me, his arm resting on the conference table, close to mine.   
"So? What's the agenda?" James asked, looking around at us, his gaze holding for a second on Richard and I's close proximity, before he looked back to Andy and Jeremy.   
"Well....since this little brainstorm was Emma's child, why don't you start?" Andy asked me. I rolled my eyes to him but smiled.   
"A car show but we focus on what the viewers loved best.....when we weren't in the studio," I began.   
"Challenges?" Richard asked. I nodded.   
"We all know our best ratings, viewer wise, were when we were driving through different countries, competing against one another," I pointed out. Andy nodded, contemplatively.   
"But how would we centre the show? We'd still need a studio, a home base," Jeremy quizzed.   
"Not if the studio came with us," I replied, grinning to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**HOURS LATER**.

"You were brilliant today," Richard commented as he shut the door to his town house in London behind him. I smiled softly. "We could really make something of this," He added.   
"You talking about the show, or us?" I teased boldly. Richard paused, turning to me as he discarded the jacket he had been wearing.   
"Both," He murmured, walking towards me.   
"Thought you wanted to talk?" I murmured, against his lips as he leaned forwards, going to catch my lips with his.   
"We can talk later," He promised, connecting our lips, walking me backwards to the arm of the sofa, his arms wrapping around me, as he nudged my legs apart so he could stand between them. At that precise moment, my mobile began to ring. I made to move, but Richard was already talking against my lips. "Leave it," He said, before kissing me once more. It continued to ring and I could tell that his irritation was building.   
"Rich...." I pulled away from him, as I pulled my mobile out of my jacket pocket and answered it. "Emma speaking," I answered automatically.   
"I've been trying to get a hold of you all morning," Dianne complained.   
"Oh hi to you too," I commented, sending a small glance to Richard who was stood watching me as I moved away from him, perching on an opposite arm of a chair instead. "I've been in a meeting all morning, you know I have. What's up?" I asked.   
"I'm pregnant, Emma. Again," Dianne said.   
"What? Oh my god.....congrats Di!" I exclaimed with a grin. Richard looked at me inquisitively. "Can I tell Rich?" I asked, the words falling out of my mouth before I could stop them.   
"Yes of course......wait, you're with him now?" She asked.   
"Dianne's pregnant," I informed Richard who was walking towards me. He grinned.   
"That's brilliant news, congratulations Dianne," He said loudly so she could hear.   
"Emma Perringham, were you lying to Mom and I yesterday?" Dianne asked slowly, ignoring Richard's good wishes to her. I chuckled as Richard's hands rested on my waist, tracing patterns on my skin with his thumbs.   
"I'll speak to you later, Di. FaceTime or something," I promised.   
"Emma, I want all the details!" She exclaimed before I cut the call. I looked to Richard as I threw my phone down onto the seat of the chair behind me.   
"Where were we?" I asked, leaning backwards slightly, knowing that Richard would support my weight with his hands on my waist. Richard smiled slowly, leaning forwards to kiss my lips softly. My hand came up to cup his jaw as I responded to the slow and gentle kiss. I pulled away after several moments. "Richard.....we still need to talk," I said quietly. Richard leant his forehead against mine.   
"Can I take you for dinner tonight? And then we can go for another date? And another one.....and-" I placed my finger against his lips.   
"I think I get the picture," I murmured.   
"I want us to do this properly," Richard admitted. "I want you," He added.   
"Good.....because I want you too," I replied. Richard smiled, kissing me again, and then again. We both laughed lowly.   
"I think I promised you coffee," He murmured.   
"I think you did," I agreed. Richard seemed to pull away from me with some regret, as he wandered through into his kitchen. I pushed off from my perch on the arm of the chair and followed him, leaning on the island of the kitchen idly, watching him move around the kitchen to make us both fresh coffee.  
"So you bluffed Dianne then?" Richard asked, looking to me with a smile. I returned the smile almost instantly.   
"You know my sister. If she gets whiff of news like that about me, it's all she focuses on for the next year and a half......" I hesitated. "Besides, I wasn't really sure where our heads were. I mean, the past few days since my birthday have been a little....." I trailed off, not really knowing how to voice my feelings and thoughts so openly. Richard looked to me, slightly concerned and it was that that pushed me to speak my mind. "With Jeremy and James around us, neither of us could fully comprehend what my birthday night meant to us. I didn't want it to be a thing connected with alcohol on your part and truthfully, I'm not sure I could have coped with that in Fiji......" I said.   
"You thought I was going to reject you and you wanted to be home before I did?" Richard asked quietly, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing me say. I nodded, looking down.   
"There are far more places to run to in England then there is on Fiji," I commented softly.   
"I wouldn't do that to you, Emma. I wouldn't have even kissed you if I had had even a small doubt in my head, as messed up as it can be at times," He promised me. I smiled gently to him, showing him that I believed him. 


End file.
